Coca-Cola Co , the world's largest soft drink maker, said it awarded Chairman and Chief Executive Muhtar Kent compensation worth $18.8 million for 2009, 16 percent below the $22.4 million he received in 2008.

In a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday, Coca-Cola said Kent was awarded a $1.2 million salary, $5.5 million of incentive pay, $7.4 million of options and about $659,000 of other compensation.

Compensation for Kent also included $4.02 million representing a change in pension value and deferred compensation earnings, Coca-Cola said.

Kent's base salary was unchanged at $1.2 million, but he actually received only $1.1 million in base salary in 2008, since he was elected CEO in July 2008. That represents the average of his prior salary as chief operating officer and his salary as CEO.

His 2008 compensation included about $3 million in stock awards, while the 2009 compensation did not include any stock awards.

Kent's 2009 benefits included nearly $131,000 related to use of company aircraft, about $166,500 related to his car and driver and nearly $103,000 related to his personal security, Coke said.

Coca-Cola said its 2009 performance was in line with its long-term growth targets, with worldwide volume growth of 3 percent and currency-neutral operating income growth of 7 percent. It also said its total return to shareholders, which reflects stock appreciation and dividends, was about 30 percent.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said senior executives did not receive merit increases in 2009, based on the compensation committee's evaluation of the global economic environment at the time. Kent did not receive a salary increase for 2010.

(Reporting by Martinne Geller; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Phil Berlowitz, Steve Orlofsky and Matthew Lewis)